Close, how close to God?

The Lord spoke to Elijah...'Go out and stand before me on top of the mountain...' The Lord sent a furious wind, but the Lord was not in the wind. Then there was an earthquake but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After that there was fire but the Lord was not in the fire and after the fire there was a soft whispering of a voice and when Elijah heard it he hid his face. 1 Kings 19:11-15
When have you felt so overcome that all you could do was stop and stay in that space as your heart fell to its knees? Sometimes its such an overwhelming feeling that we don't know how long we lingered with it. Some will smell a perfumed rose and linger awhile in that space. Others will see a paddock full of wildflowers and linger in that space awhile where time means nothing. Its a rich time where there is such a thin space between you and God and every time there is that experience of being on our knees before God something new stirs within us. I have a lovely CD of  just music with sounds of creation backing it and every time it plays ' Be still and know that I am God' my whole being stops and my heart falls to its knees and I am renewed. Michael Cabot said: Whenever beauty overwhelms us, whenever wonder silences our chattering hopes and worries we are close to worship.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ
Anne, servant of the Lord.

Walk with him and talk with him

'I come to the garden alone while the dew is still on the roses. And I walk with him and I talk with him and he tells me I am his own' (Gospel song)
I always want to linger and stay awhile when I take that morning walk. Peace, quiet and God fills every silent space that gradually is blessed by the morning chorus of the birds and frogs from down at the pond  and  I am enriched by the row of magpies in black and white suits lining the fence and warbling in such harmony as if they were in a grand opera..  Its these treasures, these prayers that enrich my day. Mary Oliver says. 'When I am among the trees they give of such hints of gladness, I would almost say that they save me, and daily.' Likewise the treasures of the morning walk are my saving grace. A time spent with God is life giving, life saving,sustaining and  strength for the day.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

What we see.

Even birds and animals have much they could teach you....All of them know that the Lord's hand made them. Job 12:7-9
There is something about that first step out the door. Its like meeting God face to face. He is there in the trees, the parched earth and the wisp of mist in the valley, even in the thunder rumbling around the mountains.

He is there on the pond, in the ducks and swallows and the perfume of the rain soaked lavender on the nature strip.  I read this poem that says it all: I see his blood upon the rose and in the stars the glory of his eyes. His body gleams amid eternal snows, his tears fall from the skies. I see his face in every flower. The thunder and the singing of the birds  are but his voice and cavern by his power. Rocks are his written words. All pathways by his feet are worn. His strong heart stirs the ever beating sea. His crown of thorns is twined in every thorn. His cross in every tree.(Joseph Plunkett)
What we see is more than what we see and sometimes we may need to sharpen our vision.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ
Anne, servant of the Lord.

Share God's love

'O the love of Jesus, it washes white as snow.' (Spiritual song)
Sometimes God just knocks harder on the door of our heart to get our attention and other times he just flows through our heart and thoughts like a cool refreshing river on a hot day. His river was flowing this morning as I walked in the fresh early morning and I thought of his love. His love for you and for me . His never ending, never changing love. I reflected on the person in yesterday who said she was not loved by God. 'How can he love me' she said. 'Look at me living in the gutters of homelessness, begging for a dollar here and there just to get something to eat. At McDonald's they call me 'the lost cause.'  As we chattered I said to her.' God loves everyone of us, including you. He dose not look at who we are as much as  who we can be with him, with his love. There is one song that sits on my heart and I know it was written there long ago and its never been forgotten, The words are this': Something beautiful, something good, all my confusion he understood. All I had to offer him was brokenness and strife but he made something beautiful of my life. She asked me to write the words on the back of the McDonald's receipt so she could take them with her. She may have a long hard road to another way of life but hopefully she will find the Jesus who loves her as a travelling companion..

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

Ownership

You heard the true message......you believed in Christ, and God put his stamp of ownership on you. Ephesians 1:13

Sometimes I wonder what makes us different from many others. What is it that people see when they look at us and watch as we live day from day. I had a meeting with a community service person yesterday to review what we were doing for a client, to coordinate our program, and she said to me. ' I can see in you a passion and a love, not just for what you do for our disadvantaged people, but in whose name you do it for.'  Ancient generals put an ownership stamp such as a tattoo on their soldiers,An ancient writer told Christians to use the symbol of a dove,( the symbol of the Holy Spirit and of hope) for their ownership stamp and Paul likened ownership stamps to 'Gods gift of the Spirit' to us. Giving us his Spirit was our ownership stamp. How clearly do you think others around us see that stamp of ownership in us? How does it reveal itself through you and me? Victor Hugo said: Let us be like a bird, for a moment perched on a frail branch while he sings: Though he feels it bend, yet he sings his song knowing that he has wings.

the first fruits

'May the foot of God walk with you and his hand hold you tight' (TIS 779)
There is something magical about the time of the day when the sun filters through the night sky and breaks into light. Stepping out the door for the first time in a new day is like my feet touching the newness, the ' not walked on until now' path of the new day and as  God comes alongside I discover
the offerings of the day that would have otherwise been missed. Offerings and events that give joy and blessings and the days strength, like the magpies kicking in the tanbark, the different shades of glory crossing the sky as the sun rises over the mountain, the birds calling in the new day and that delightful sound of a baby kookaburra trying to learn his laugh.  The wonderful morning gifts, of time with God is  new every morning are the most powerful pearls of great price to deposit in our heart and mind as we venture into the rest of the day, into the unknown.I love these words of St Patrick's lorica: Christ be with me. Christ within me. Christ behind me. Christ before me. Christ beside me.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord

living water

Let anyone who wishes take the water of life as a gift. Revelations 22:17
I watched the fallen  rain water gushing down the water course and into the pond and fill it with new life. The patches of unwanted debris and stagnant water were swept away and replaced by fresh,life giving water. When the pond was refreshed  with this surge of clear water and became still again  the baby wood ducks came out from the long tall reeds in formation behind their mother and I laughed at their antics of trying to go 'heads down tails up.' There was quacking with delight and the dragonflies hovered over the waters looking for food. Swallows, Willie wag tails and wrens all chattered together in excitement at how the water had renewed life on their pond and even the mud wasps were visibly collecting fresh mud to build  their homes and O it all reminded me of the words Jesus said about living water and new life.
Eleonora Duse said:  If the sight of the blue skies fills you with joy, if a blade of grass springing up in the fields has power to move you, if the simple things in nature  have a message that you understand, rejoice for your soul is alive.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord

Love, love love.

God has poured out his love into our hearts by means of the Holy Spirit. Romans 5:5
The Christmas season has come and gone and now we launch into a New Year with so many opportunities for new beginnings. I wonder what your 'theme' for 2016 will be. What will you aim to achieve or focus on?  I remember the song,  ' All we need is love, love, love.' Imagine if every single person wore those words on their chest, in their heart, day by day all through 2016, just for starters.  A story goes like this: A small child struggled as he carried a large  gift wrapped box over to his Grandfathers chair on Christmas day.  As he carefully unwrapped it and looked inside he said to the boy, 'But its empty, did you forget to put my gift inside?'  The boy raised himself to full height and on tip toes peered into the box. 'Oh no,' he said to his Grandfather.' 'I didn't give you an empty present. I filled it with my  love.'  May Christ's love be visible within us in all we do and say in his name. May that love be a true gift to others and as blessing to you.

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Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

Christmas

Let us open our eyes, our ears and our hearts; it is Christ the Lord, it is he. (TIS 278)

I have a mantra for Christmas. It is so simple but carries a massive meaning and implication for our lives. Its something full of power, humility, grace, love. Its simply this:
O what a gift what a wonderful gift. (on the breath in)
Christ our Lord and our King. (on the breath out)
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ,
Anne, servant of the Lord.

manger square Bethlehem.

Playing with Jesus

'I love to tell the story of Jesus and his love.' (Sunday School song)
Sharing the story of Jesus and his love leaves us wondering at times if that sits and stays with those we share. Sometimes we see the fruit of it, sometimes we don't but we know that a seed sown in faith and prayer will eventually grow. I saw that seed growing this week and it was a humbling blessing. It came through my youngest grandchild, only three years old. 'As he came through my front door for a visit he saw the nativity scenes I had on display near the Christmas tree. He paused and then in realization

of what he was looking at he proclaimed. 'O Nan. Can I play with Jesus?'   My prayer is that through out his life he will want to 'play with Jesus' that he will want to be in his company and he will know the great benefits of that relationship.  Make sharing Jesus be a real goal this Christmas.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

bring joy to the world.

I will sing the wondrous story of the Christ who died for me. (TIS 233)
Some texts and words of hymns just jump out at me and I think, yes, how true is that. Yes, how me, as a follower of Christ, is that.  And then I think why do some Christians hide this good news from others? How will Christ ever be known to the world if we hide our light under a bushel? On two occasions I have heard people say: I have a hamper for a family down the street who's wife died and this is the first year the family will have Christmas with out her. They don't go to church so I will tell them its from the local charity club! and another so often heard. I am doing all my Christmas cards  but I am  making sure I send 'non religious 'ones to my friends who are not religious!  How, may I ask will our non religious friends ever know the wondrous story of the Christ who died for me,and them, if we keep it to our self, if we hide it. Lets not be timid about our faith. Be bold and positive about what you believe and you will be surprised how God will use that.One religious card to one non religious friend just may change their life after all, is the nativity scene on a card, or the wise men on camels, shepherds following a star.......isn't that what Christmas is about.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord

Today and every day, regardless

This is the day, this is the day that the Lord has made, that the Lord ha made. We will rejoice , we will rejoice and be glad in it  and be glad in it. SING IT!
 First prayer off the rank every morning is 'thank you God for the gift of this new day.' Somehow, I guess through life experience I have learnt very sincerely to see that each new day is a treasured gift from God. Even if I am not feeling very bright. Even if I  feel a bit down. Even if the work load seems back breaking. Even if life is fragile, still I see the new day as such a gift.  That leads me on to say to God. 'Then let me give you a gift in return'. A gift that acknowledges the blessings and the hearts true desire to fill the days in his service, signed and sealed with his love and appreciation in prayer at the end of the day.(From the Celtic Prayer Book) This day is a gift to me. I take it Lord, from your hand and thank you for the wonder of it.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord

Bulldoze a road.

'.......guide our feet into the way of peace.' Luke 1:79

How often do we experience God's grace? How often do we let the worries of the world and life overtake our joy? How often is our daily road full of clutter and unnecessary concerns. When we know God's grace, we know his peace. I love the wording of the Prayer of the Day we used in church yesterday, it said; Loving God, be to us a bulldozer of the spirit. Clear your road in us: clear a path through our everyday worries, concerns and distractions: and awaken us to moments of your grace daily. May your Spirit work within us to prepare a space for your coming.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

why we do what we do

At the last supper Jesus said. 'Do this in memory of me.' Luke 22:19
The Sunday Eucharist never ceases to draw me into reflection and closeness with Christ and some years ago when I was pondering these words 'do this in remembrance of me' I saw a bigger picture. Not just the receiving of the bread and wine each Sunday as strength for the week or in memory of Christ as something of the past, but as something that I had to get up and do. As John says of Jesus. 'The  bread that I will give is my flesh, which I give so the world may live.' (John 6:26-27)
When we reflect on our day to day encounters with 'the people who come to our doorstep, or who we meet on theirs,' it is good to ask ourselves the question. 'How well am I doing in taking the words of the last supper to those who do not know Christ, who have been starved of any knowledge of experience with him in life?'
Mohands Gandhi said:If God were to appear to starving people,he wouldn't dare appear in any form other than food.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ
Anne,servant of the Lord

Hope

The way of the Lord is a stronghold to the upright. The righteous will never be shaken.   Proverbs 10:29-30
I think w are all saying, its nearly Christmas! As  a child I was always full of great hope when it came to what I might expect to receive in the small parcels under the tree. There was a great sense of the expectancy about the contents of them. There was a feeling of excitement, and often, 'for being good and helpful to my parents through the year'  Santa would grant my wishes. My hopes and desires became realities. Stop and think on the word 'hope.' How would you define it? For me its a 'confident expectancy.' Christian hope is the firm assurance about things of the future, seen and unseen.

Hope for the Christian is the one thing that keeps us looking to the future because it lives with in us. Its what makes the difficult and tough times, the 'holes' of darkness and despair bearable because we know there will be a brighter future. I wonder what its like to not have hope? I should imagine that it would paint a whole different picture about life. I guess it would be lifeless. I guess that is our mission, our gift to others, to bring hope to a broken and divided world.Particularly the world that is on our doorstep.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ
Anne, servant of the Lord.

may the love of God

Praise our God, the great creator, world evolving through his might, darkness shattered by explosion, filled his world with life and light. (TIS 165)
It was there again this morning,  this great love of God.
The red and pink 'brushes'
          hanging from the bottle brush tree.
The garden fresh  and washed with last nights watering.
The trill of the blue wren
    and the melodious warble of the magpies on the street light pole in an otherwise dawn of
silence.

And there was enough dew on the grass
            to see a set of footprint
            and know someone was walking before me.
May the love of God and the peace that it brings be the blessing of this new day for you.
Anne, servant of the Lord.

God first

One thing I will ask of the Lord, that will I seek after: to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.

There they were this morning, tiny capsules of pure delight, bursting with God's love and I thought of those who do not know of that love  and my heart was on fire for them.
Go seek and find the lost in the name of the Christ we serve.

Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord

He is near

I will never leave you nor forsake you. Hebrews 13:5
So often we can experience the presence of God in our lives if we are just open to it. There is such a thin line between his Spirit and ours and at times when we feel we are standing on sacred ground its like we have one foot on this side of the fine line and one foot on the other or to put it another way its like we are holding hands with God. This feeling has stayed with me for days after a lady I care said something quite profound. This lady has huge issues that have almost destroyed her self image and ruined her life. She sent me a message full of  sadness and loss of hope and no sign of God.   She felt like she was in between a rock and a hard place with no where to go. Then before I could respond she sent another message and that one included a photo, a photo of a beautiful Lilly in flower  growing strong and tall between a rock and a path. She said she didn't know its name except it was gorgeous. What a God moment it was for me. Immediately God gave this image of a gorgeous lady struggling through life and blossoming. And he does know her name.I shared my thoughts with her and she listened in silence and wonder.

Images in life, in nature, have such powerful messages if we keep our minds open and focused, if we keep the Lord near.
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne, servant of the Lord

therein lies the treasure

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding. Philippians 4:7

Did you unwrap the gift of this morning?  What does it look like in your place? When I took off the layers of sleep I saw the beauty of the gift. It was rain soaked and refreshed. Tiny drops of water bubbles hung on the deep red flowers of the bottle brush and several  honey eaters were delighting in their morning fix of honey, their  wings wet from those bubbles of rain drops. I watch them a moment, their curved thin beak reaching deep into the flower for their gift of this day.  The mountains have a veil of misty rain covering them, a sign of more to come my way.The pond is alive with the sound of so many frogs that seemed to croak and squeak and peep in tune with the call of the early morning birds and there he was, the treasure of them all for me, the bright blue fairy wren. Some say its to hard to see the gift of the day because the wrapping of pain and suffering, dysfunction and loneliness is just too hard to remove but O,  when you do work through the layers what joy, what delight to find God's gifts, especially the one labeled peace, the peace that comes from God..
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ
Anne, servant of the Lord

dusty or worn pages.

These were more noble....in that they.....searched the scriptures daily. Acts 17:11
That quiet time of the day when the closeness of God comes and sits with you as you read the words of the bible are so precious. How empty we are. How void of food if we lay aside our bibles to gather dust. I heard this story of a lady who invited a group of Christian  people to her home for a bible study and much to her dismay she could not find her bible. It wasn't on the bedside table where she usually leaves it. It wasn't in the sun room, it wasn't in any of the usual places she sits to read. In desperation she asked the new house keeper  if she had seen it. 'Praise the Lord', was her response.
' What do you mean,' she was asked. Beaming with joy the housekeeper responded. ' when I go to work in a new home the first thing I do is hide the bible just to see how long it takes the owner to miss it!  Yours is in the linen cupboard.'

I like this quote: The truths of the scripture are like flowers;meditation, like the bee, draws the honey out of them! (unknown)
Grace and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Anne,servant of the Lord